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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25774234">The Last War</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Veridissima/pseuds/Veridissima'>Veridissima</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The 100 (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - No Praimfaya | Radiation Wave, Camp Jaha | Arkadia, Eligius IV still comes tho, Multi, Polyamory, the last war mankind will ever fight</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 06:55:01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,156</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25774234</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Veridissima/pseuds/Veridissima</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been years of peace for the Coalition, until a group of people from some other planet show up through the floor with talk of the last war mankind will ever fight.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Abby Griffin/Marcus Kane, Charmaine Diyoza/Abby Griffin/Marcus Kane</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>The 100 Fix-Its and Rewrites</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/embracethedinosaurs/gifts">embracethedinosaurs</a>, <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kabby_Kru/gifts">Kabby_Kru</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This fic will take over three chapters for three special birthdays, because it turns out August is an awesome month to be born!!! ;) This is set in an alternative universe with no praimfaya and the relationships between grounders and Skaikru continue to develop, and the Eligius prisoners still landed as they do in canon, and nobody leaves Earth. We find them around ten years after the destruction of the City of Light. This also ties a bit with this last season and since the people I'm gifting this to haven't watched it, here's what matters - the people from Bardo (one of the new planets) talk about the "last war mankind will ever fight", which they've been preparing for centuries, Bill Cadogan (yes, that guy from the video Jaha watched in s4) leads them and they have an anomaly stone that connects planets :D</p><p>Now this entire idea is inspired by a photo Ivana Milicevic (the actress who plays Charmaine Diyoza) reposted an old photo on instagram (and then deleted) a few weeks ago of her with smudged make up, which reminded everyone of some warrior make up</p><p>But talking about make up, this fic could only be for one person, Em!!!! Happy Birthday, little one!!!! Em, you're the smartest sixteen year old, but also so caring, fun and sweet, everyday you make my life better and I'm so grateful to have met you!!! Keep being your strong, outspoken and amazing self, and I hope your birthday is awesome, and may this year be spectacular!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, EM!!!!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The camp was not quiet today. There was no chance it could be. Everyone was moving, everyone had a job to do, either here or out there.</p>
<p>“You have everything, John?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, and I know I’ll meet with Niylah’s camp.”</p>
<p>“Be safe.”</p>
<p>“Sure,” the boy had grown up a lot since she had started to train him, but he still kept his<em> I don’t care for anything</em> energy, which she knew was a lie.</p>
<p>“May we meet again, John.”</p>
<p>“May we meet again.”</p>
<p>John left her at that, and she looked at him go and meet the rest of the people getting ready to go, and arming up. Abby had pondered if she should go with them, she wanted to, she didn’t want to stay behind, but Marcus had made a lot of sense.</p>
<p>Abby had to stay. Arkadia couldn’t be leaderless, but more important they had changed their home to a much bigger hospital, creating a camp to receive anyone who would be injured beyond the healing capacities of the camp meds.</p>
<p>“We’ll be okay,” Charmaine said, coming behind her, kissing the top of her head.</p>
<p>“I can’t believe you’re going.”</p>
<p>“It’s the last war for humanity.”</p>
<p>“Why it needs to be fought on Earth when they have an entire other planet perplexes me.”</p>
<p>“Mostly because your husband thought it would be a good idea.”</p>
<p>“Charm, you call him my husband too often for someone who shares his bed.”</p>
<p>“I share yours too,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows.</p>
<p>“I’m very happy about that…”</p>
<p>“…but we need to go.” Charmaine was a brilliant fighter, she could stand a fight against the best of any of the clans, when she and her crew arrived, they had killed more people than not, before they negotiated a settlement with the Coalition, and Eligius prisoners had ended up all in Arkadia at some point as they worked on a cure, but then as agreed they were separated, and Charmaine had stayed here with a few more people.</p>
<p>“You’re going to save us.”</p>
<p>“I’m sure a few people are gonna help,” she said. “I’ll have Marcus’ back, you know? And he has Bellamy, the Millers, Harper always with him – they’re good fighters.”</p>
<p>“I have to believe he will come home. And you too.”</p>
<p>“I will,” she said, squeezing her hands. “Now the fighting starts tonight with the assemble of all the clans, and I would like you to honor me with my first war paint.”</p>
<p>“Charm...”</p>
<p>“It’s tradition. You know I’ll fight besides Octavia and Indra, it’s Trikru tradition, but it’s also Skaikru due to Octavia, and now it will be Eligius. Mine.”</p>
<p>Octavia was already in Polis. The message came two weeks ago, after people, ready to fight, had come out of a bunker under the temple, which existence had been a mystery, and all clans had been assembled. Commander Luna and all clan representatives had met with a man called Bill Cadogan who spoke of a war for all of humanity. Marcus had come back to tell Skaikru to prepare for war, while Octavia and Jaha (who had read about Cadogan) had stayed behind, Clarke had stayed behind too but she had come back three days ago – Abby wasn’t letting her go to war without a goodbye.</p>
<p>Abby turned back to the present, accepting the jar Charmaine was holding, before pushing her to sit down for a bit, before dipping her fingers in the dark goo, and starting to trace her partner’s face. She moved her finger slowly and in simple motions, covering her eyes, and then wondering what to do next, thinking back to Octavia or Echo, the war paint was emotional, part of their story. So Abby followed to take her jacket off, no protest from Charmaine, and she drew the skaikru symbol under the old American flag, and the Eligius logo under her army ranks, before finishing with the coalition mark exactly like Marcus.</p>
<p>“You’re together. This unites you.”</p>
<p>“Our love for you and each other unites us,” she answered. “But I like the gesture.”</p>
<p>“Hey,” Marcus’ voice sounded behind her, his lips resting on her head for a kiss.</p>
<p>“You need to go?” Abby asked, turning to him.</p>
<p>“Almost. We have a few minutes.”</p>
<p>As Marcus answered and Abby held onto his arms a bit closer, not wanting to let go, she almost wanted to ask if she could go with him again.</p>
<p>“Abby, you have to stay,” Marcus said, reading her mind.</p>
<p>“I know. I’m just afraid, with you and Clarke…”</p>
<p>“I need you to stay,” Charmaine spoke. “Marcus will give you all the right answers, but I need you to stay with Hope, to look after her. And if something happens, she stills needs her mom.”</p>
<p>“Nothing is going to happen, Charm. I will keep her safe always. And I know I need to be here to run the hospital. Hopefully it won’t be as busy as we expect.”</p>
<p>But as Abby said, none of them truly believed it. It was called the last war the mankind will ever fight for a reason, according to Cadogan, and Luna who had been able to see Becca’s memories, it would be truly brutal, but it needed to be done – they couldn’t continue to run away.</p>
<p>Charmaine took her hand at that, squeezing it a bit stronger.</p>
<p>“I should go find Hope, I want to explain her once again where we’re going.”</p>
<p>“Go,” Abby said, letting go of her hand. “Go with her, Marcus.”</p>
<p>Abby looked at them move away to go say goodbye to their daughter, as her oldest stepped up to her, armed to the teeth, with guns and the sword Roan had forged for her to celebrate peace between Skaikru and Azgeda almost eight years ago.</p>
<p>“We’re going soon, Mom.”</p>
<p>“I know, Marcus told me,” she said taking her hand. “You’re going to be safe out there.”</p>
<p>“It’s war, Mom.”</p>
<p>“Please tell me you’ll look after yourself.”</p>
<p>“I will be with the Commander.”</p>
<p>“Clarke…”</p>
<p>“I know, Mom, but I’m a good fighter, I’ve trained a lot. I’ll never be as good as Octavia or Diyoza, but I hold myself with anyone else in Arkadia.”</p>
<p>“I know, but I don’t want you to take unnecessary risks.”</p>
<p>“I’ll do my best so this war doesn’t move past Polis, and nobody comes for you, Raven, Hope and everyone else staying here.”</p>
<p>Abby didn’t answer that, but pulled her closer, her head coming to rest on her shoulder.</p>
<p>“I’ll come home, Mom.”</p>
<p>“I know you will, but I’ll miss you.”</p>
<p>“I’m always travelling, it will be no different.”</p>
<p>It wasn’t lie, even as Clarke called Arkadia home, she didn’t spend much time here, unless it was the winter months. Travelling through the other clans still had his risks as well, there were always misunderstandings, and even with the peace, some people would never truly trusted Skaikru.</p>
<p>“I’ll be okay, Mom. I’ll keep an eye on Kane and Diyoza… and yes, I know you asked them to do the same.”</p>
<p>“We need to go, Clarke,” Bellamy called out, interrupting their conversation.</p>
<p>“Mom--”</p>
<p>“I’ll walk with you.”</p>
<p>They stopped at the gates, between all the families, friends and loved ones saying their goodbye, as others left the camp. Charmaine and Marcus walked up to them, Hope in her mother's arms, but Clarke stepped up, immediately taking her, wanting to say goodbye to her step-sister as well.</p>
<p>“We’re going,” Charmaine spoke, pulling Abby for a kiss immediately – it was soft and tender, but with a promise of more. And then Marcus took his wife's hand and kissed her too, quick and soft – their long goodbyes had been for the bedroom that morning, after a night of whispered goodbyes, promises of peace, tears and moans of pleasure. Now they only rested their foreheads together, first Marcus and Abby, before Charmaine joined - the unspoken between them, the <em>i loves yous</em> and the <em>please come home safe</em>.</p>
<p>“May we meet again,” Abby told them, pulling back, letting go of their hands, knowing one of them had to be the first one.</p>
<p>“We will,” Marcus answered, as she had promised too long ago.</p>
<p>With that she turned to Clarke again, stopping her tears from falling again, she took Hope from her daughter and kissed her goodbye again. She memorized the way her blond hair looked in the ponytail like she had worn it for the last few months and those blue eyes she had loved so much since she was seventeen, and the way her daughter was always too worried and weighted down for someone so young. She memorized Marcus' sorrowful eyes, but so filled with love, the way he looked hopeful for the promise to come back to her and Hope again, and the way that his little curl fell over his eye, even as it grayed and he kept it shorter (and the beard longer) that curl always fell over. Her eyes found Charmaine, who had told her stories of all the battles and wars she had fought on, but she knew this one was different, as she looked in her eyes, the black paint making her blue eyes stand out, she could feel her sadness at leaving her daughter behind, Abby was sure she would fight harder than ever before to come home.</p>
<p>“You all be safe,” Abby reminded them, as stood there, when they finally walked away.</p>
<p>Abby watched them go, they walked up ahead everyone else, to join the rover which would lead the march. They couldn’t see her no more, too far away, but Abby stood there, holding Hope, as they waved their family goodbye, watching them disappeared into the forest.</p>
<p>“They will be home soon, baby,” she whispered into her daughter’s hair, as much for Hope’s sake as her own. Before realizing she was the leader of Arkadia and they all had their part to play in this war, and with a deep breath she turned back to her people and to the camp, and got back to work.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>On a rare peaceful night in Polis, Charmaine and Marcus get to talk.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This second chapter exploring a war, that may no longer be a war when you consider the last chapter, is written in honor of Noemi (xv12 on tumblr)!!!! </p><p>Sorry there's no Ned and Catelyn this year, but I hope you enjoy this one, and that it helps making your birthday spectacular, I hope you're having a great time at home with your family!!!! And I hope the year to come is a GREAT one!!! Thank you so much for being an amazing friend for so many years and for always being here for me, for being so sweet and such a smart person!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Charmaine Diyoza had fought in many wars during her life, some worth fighting, other not as much, but nothing had prepared her for this...</p><p>The anomaly Stone had been opened in the bunker and the creatures hadn’t stop coming for the last eight days, they weren’t too hard to kill but they were infinite, never ending, and the mind games they played made it so their people kept dying or in a best case scenario, patched up on camp or sent back to Abby in Arkadia.</p><p>But tonight was different. The creatures had retreated for the night after it was heard that they would be back at first light, not that she understood what they said, but that was what the Bardonians had translated. So they were regrouping around Polis, everyone taking better defenses, catching on sleep or healing wounds, physical and mentally.</p><p>“He will be okay,” Charmaine said, sitting next to Octavia.</p><p>“You don’t know that.”</p><p>“Bellamy is strong, and Abby will take care of him.” Bellamy had been hit in the leg bad. Murphy had patched it up two nights ago, but it hadn’t been enough. Today he hadn’t been able to stand, his leg infected, so he had been sent to Arkadia with seventeen other people from multiple clans.</p><p>“He will probably not walk again.”</p><p>“He will figure it out. Raven figured it out. You’ll be there for him.”</p><p>“If we win this thing.”</p><p>“We will,” a man’s voice was heard behind her. “And Bellamy will be okay. He was in good spirits when he left.”</p><p>“Who’s driving tonight?” Octavia asked, Bellamy was their best driver except for Raven.</p><p>“Harper is going. She asked, she wanted to see Monty.”</p><p>Marcus had decided to leave Monty in the small guard back in Arkadia, in charge, as a last force if they couldn’t hold the fighting to Polis – they had had some close calls so far.</p><p>“She won’t make it back by daylight. She doesn’t drive as fast as Bellamy, or even Miller,” Octavia confronted him with it, as Marcus took a seat next to Charmaine, kissing her hair, now sweaty, and a mess from blood, dirt and goo.</p><p>“I know, Octavia. But our quadrant can do with one less fighter for a few hours.”</p><p>“It’s not just one less, Kane.”</p><p>“We regrouped tonight, we made a new plan.”</p><p>“Maybe I should join you. I’m skaikru.”</p><p>“You are, Octavia, and you’re also Indra’s second, your place is at her side.”</p><p>“Should Diyoza join you then? She’s your second.”</p><p>“She’s not my second.”</p><p>“I’m not his second,” they both said at the same time.</p><p>“Second wife, same thing.”</p><p>Marcus wasn’t sure what to answer to that, Charmaine could tell, so she intervened.</p><p>“I’m not his second anything. I’m his and Abby’s partner, but the plan was to fight here. I’m a soldier, Octavia, always have been, I know where I have to be.”</p><p>“She also likes you better than me,” Marcus said, regaining his senses.</p><p>“I’m sure she does certain things to you she doesn’t do to me. At least I hope so,” Octavia said with a smirk, and her mood a bit lifted as she stood up. “I’ll leave you two alone and I’ll go find Indra.”</p><p>They both looked at her go, disappear past their vision and the light of their fireplace.</p><p>“You know Bellamy will be okay,” Charmaine reminded him. She knew he was worried too, he cared about both siblings as his own. “Abby knows what she’s doing.”</p><p>“I know... but he’s just a kid pulled into this.”</p><p>“Marcus, I had served in the army and left to lead a Rebellion group by the time I was his age.”</p><p>Marcus didn’t answer that, just pulled a bit closer now that it was just the two of them, knowing they didn’t have much time until he had to walk to the other side, back to his squadron.</p><p>“How’s your leg?” she asked.</p><p>“Okay.”</p><p>“Marcus,” the threatening tone coming out.</p><p>“I can do with it, Charm. Just tired it’s all.”</p><p>“But you haven’t taken care of it, have you?” she inquired. “Don’t even answer, I know you,” she told him, listening to his silence. “I know my hands aren’t as expert at it as Abby’s, but I’ll have to do.”</p><p>“You’re good with your hands,” he reminded her, relaxing into her and smirking, as she got up.</p><p>Many of the healers were doing the rounds around camp, and Charmaine made her a way to a man she knew from Arkadia as he visited Abby, he was a Trikru grounder with long hair and beard and a tattoo on his face.</p><p>“Diyoza?” he remembered her name.</p><p>“Do you have anything to soothe pain for Chancellor Kane? Doctor Griffin normally has some paste that helps with muscle pain.”</p><p>“Here,” he said after searching in his bag. “Do you need help applying it?”</p><p>“I’ve seen Abby do it enough times.”</p><p>“Just give it back when you’re done.”</p><p>Charmaine nodded at that and walked back to Marcus.</p><p>“I got something from the bearded healer.”</p><p>“Nyko. He was one one of our first allies, he was close with Lincoln.” Marcus still missed him, everyone seemed too, especially Octavia, she still remembered the first time she mentioned him. For some reason many years ago, Marcus had chosen Octavia as her keeper when Charmaine visited the other clans to meet with the rest of her Eligius crew – a visit with some people in Trikru and her questioning  Charmaine’s, then recent, decision to share Marcus and Abby’s bed had led her to bring him up and how she missed him.</p><p>Charmaine nodded at that and eyed him up and down, before telling him to drop his pants.</p><p>“Charm, there’s people…”</p><p>“And some are making out or worse in public, I’m only asking you to take of your pants for medical reasons. You can’t properly fight on a bad leg.” She knew he wanted to argue some more, but he gave in and undressed his pants. “Was that so hard?”</p><p>“Just try to not let people see me.”</p><p>“If you insist,” she sat next to him, pulling his leg to her lap, and her fingers, after being dipped in the herbs, started to push into his skin, and involuntarily he moaned to the feeling and force of her fingers, luckily low enough that he couldn’t have been heard beyond their bonfire. “Feeling good?”</p><p>“I needed that,” he finally admitted.</p><p>“Your muscles are tight,” she said and kept pushing, hoping to relax his leg and him, she wanted him to be stronger tomorrow. Charmaine continued to massage him, falling into a silence, if not for his small sounds.</p><p>“I think I’m good, Charm,” he answered, as he moved his leg. “It feels easier to move now.”</p><p>“You need to do this again.”</p><p>“Time is not something I normally have.” Charmaine couldn’t argue with that, as she stood to give the jar back to Nyko.</p><p>Marcus still sat with his pants off when she came back, he looked tired and his eyes almost closed, as she pushed herself up to him once again.</p><p>“You can’t fall asleep yet. You have to go back.”</p><p>“I know, talk to me,” he asked.</p><p>“How’s Abby?” He was the one who mostly got people into the truck to Arkadia, he was the one who would know anything about her.”</p><p>“Bellamy never gets to see much of her, but he said Arkadia was busy. Raven said everything was working and they had a good plan to keep moving.”</p><p>“How many have died in Arkadia?” She knew the high numbers here, but she had no idea of what was happening to the people going back home.</p><p>“I don’t know,” he said honestly. “It’s not good, this has been too violent.”</p><p>“We lost too many. My people. They were desperate to fight, but we’re all criminals, of course most of us can’t stand the torture of what we did shown back to us, before being slain.”</p><p>“We’ve all made mistakes, Charm.”</p><p>That was the reality of this war, grappling with your mistakes, with your crimes, making through those before the others could kill you – they moved as your mind played the memories.</p><p>“What are they showing you?”</p><p>“Too much to pick from, Marcus. The culling?”</p><p>“And the floatings… especially Jake’s, and Bellamy and Octavia’s mom.”</p><p>“It’s not your fault. It was the rules, you followed them,” she reminded him. “I was the one who constantly broke them.”</p><p>“You believed in it at least.” He offered a kiss to her head and held her close, both struggling to keep their eyes open, until there was no other choice but to stand up, as he pulled his pants up.</p><p>“I have to go, especially if I want to sleep for a bit,” he admitted, struggling to stand up, to step back from her, not being sure what the future would old.</p><p>“I know,” she said, trying to make it a bit easier, as she passed him his pants. “Be safe. Keep your mind clear.”</p><p>“You too,” he asked, lowering himself again to kiss her lips. “May we meet again.”</p><p>Charmaine didn’t repeat the words, but she nodded at him, and with that goodbye they left each other, hoping to see each one another soon.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Marcus and Charmaine are finally back home and they finally reunite with Abby.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Happy birthday, Jamie!!!! You're such an hilarious girl - I LOVE how quick your humor is - and you also have such a sweet, huge and warm heart, also the BEST stomach, and one day I hope to get to exchange American Southern food and Portuguese food with you!!!! I hope this year to come is a really good one for you, and you get all your happiness and wishes met!!!!! And I hope today is an awesome one!!!! Once again HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“I should have stayed back,” Clarke repeated once again, which won her another eyeroll from Octavia.</p><p>“Your mom would kill me if you didn’t come home with us.”</p><p>“And we all know how scared Kane is of Abby,” Octavia shot back, ignoring Clarke’s mood.</p><p>“Madi needs me.”</p><p>“You’ll be back soon,” Marcus promised. He was sure Clarke would even spend less time at home now. Madi was now Commander, and the girl looked up to Clarke, and with Luna dead, she was her only mentor.</p><p>Luna had died fighting in the seventeenth day, Madi, as the only nightblood, had ascended to Commander in the following days, and finished the war eight days later as she was chosen to take the test. Marcus still wasn’t sure what the test had been, but it turned out the war wasn’t the most necessary thing, and they had only wanted to test the worthiness of humanity. They had passed.</p><p>Charmaine believed that they only passed, because at seventeen Madi was still a child and had barely seen the hardships of many of them, Charmaine laughed saying that he would have gotten them all killed with the way he blames himself.</p><p>“Besides your mom missing you, we need the most doctors we can get at Arkadia right now,” Charmaine said. “If that in any way helps convincing you to stay. We’ve been sending people home every night, I can’t imagine how it’s looking.”</p><p>The fighting had moved past Polis in the last few days, Marcus’ fear that it would have gotten to Arkadia had been fierce, but it ended before then, only Trikru had been affected, with some villages needing rebuilding, luckily they had been empty – either by warriors fighting and others back under the protection of TonDC.</p><p>“You’re right,” Clarke admitted. “Mom needs me. But I can’t stay long, Madi also needs me.”</p><p>“She has Gaia,” Octavia spoke. “She’s the flamekeeper – it’s her responsibility.”</p><p>“Madi likes me. I was there when we found her in Shallow Valley, after her parents died – it’s been almost ten years. She trusts me, Octavia, and she’s nervous.”</p><p>“You were seventeen when we landed, and you led us well enough.”</p><p>“You were only 100, and I had your brother. Also I wasn’t that good… we lost--”</p><p>“We’re still here,” Octavia spoke taking Clarke’s hand.</p><p>Marcus wondered if he should say something, the truth was Clarke had grown up a lot since the girl they had found when they had arrived to the ground, he was about to reminder her, when Charmaine intervened and stopped him from saying anything.</p><p>“She knows,” she whispered, before laying her head on his shoulder.</p><p>They stood like that, the rest of the trip, her head on him, his arm around her, hoping to be home quickly.</p><p>The trip was quick and the truck stopped a few ways from the camp, which was obvious the door opened – Arkadia had been turned into a field hospital, every place had someone being taken care off, getting help.</p><p>“Good to have you back,” Raven said, making a beeline to them. “Yeah, Arkadia is busy, so don’t make things harder. Clarke, your mom will need your help. Octavia, Bellamy is resting close to the North entrance if you want to check on him.”</p><p>Clarke and Octavia took off at that, the rest of truck emptying as well, as Raven continued to give orders, until she was only left with the Chancellor.</p><p>“Abby is busy right now,” she admitted, which had been obvious since they landed. “But Hope is at school, and I’m sure everyone would understand pulling her out.”</p><p>“Thank you,” Charmaine said, before Marcus repeated the sentiment and asked her how she was doing.</p><p>“We’re moving, Kane, and Monty and I kept the camp at top shape for you.”</p><p>“I’m grateful,” he said, squeezing her shoulder, and leaving her to continue giving orders.</p><p>Marcus tried to recognize the organization system as they walked, Abby had tried to put them by clan, Floukru were closer to the school and he wondered if they had yet heard about Commander Luna or not. But it wasn’t his job, at least not for now, as Hope ran to their arms.</p><p>“Momma!!! Papa!!!”</p><p>“Hey, little one,” Charmaine said, holding her close, before Marcus taking her from her arms, to also kiss her head.</p><p>“Momma, you okay?”</p><p>“I’m perfect. Even more with you here,” she said. “Your daddy is good too, he’s gonna come and visit soon.”</p><p>McCreary had been living with Yujleda since they had arrived, which was good by Charmaine not having to deal with him on a daily basis, and at least he tried to make it to Arkadia a few times a year to see their daughter, and he wasn’t an ass about Hope also looking at Marcus as a father. This time he had blown part of Polis killed more than Bardonians and was facing the Commander again, but she didn’t believe he wouldn’t be in much trouble – it was war after all.</p><p>Hope smiled at the news, excited at getting to see her father, but before that she kept hugging her Papa as well, as they moved through camp. Marcus took the time to greet and talk to his people and some other grounders he knew, mostly trikru, before making their way to the Chancellor quarters.</p><p>He shouldn’t be that surprised to arrive to a significant number of papers. He was sure Abby wouldn’t have had the time to go over anything, besides moving things from the box to their table. Marcus didn’t plan to get much work done that afternoon, sitting at the table with Hope between him and Charmaine, as she started drawing, while her parents read through papers before getting distracted by her drawings, and just her presence next to them after too long apart.</p><p>It was a few hours of that, more play than work, before Jackson came to knock on the door, letting them know that Abby was almost done with her shift, and she wanted to check them in her office.</p><p>“We’re okay,” Charmaine answered, but Marcus confirmed that they would be there. He knew Abby wouldn’t rest until she looked after their injuries, besides he noticed Charmaine was favoring her right side, which wasn’t a good sign.</p><p>They got Hope by the hand, and walked through the ship, Arkadia was quiet inside, at least until they got closer to the med bay, movement was still a foot, and they could hear Abby giving orders around her as she prepared to finish her shift.</p><p>“If there’s any emergency, anyone taking a turn for the worse, you call for me.”</p><p>“Abby, you need rest, especially with--” But before Jackson could finish his sentence, Abby noticed them by the door, and ran to them.</p><p>Marcus hugged her close, pulling her tight to him, her hair ending up in his nose – she smelled of sweat and blood, but it was still so comforting to hold her again. He kept his arm around her waist as she pulled to kiss Charm, before kissing him too.</p><p>“I’m sorry I couldn’t come before. I’ve been in surgery and then checking on the new arrivals.”</p><p>“It’s okay, Abby, we know you’re busy,” Marcus said, letting go of her but not of her hand.</p><p>“I have another shift in eight hours, but before that, come to my office, so I can check you.”</p><p>Abby’s office was small, and she didn’t use it often for appointments, but she still had a small bed.</p><p>“Charm is going first,” Marcus said as he took the chair with Hope, and she sent him a death stare before sitting down and taking off her pants, jacket and shirt, leaving her in a small top. Abby did quick work over her body, there were bruises, but nothing surprising, and Abby cleaned all the cuts while asking some other questions, before starting to listen to her heart and lungs for any irregularities.</p><p>“Come here, Hope,” she called her from Marcus’ lap, who was telling her the story. “Do you wanna hear your Mama’s heart?” Abby put the stethoscope in Hope’s ears and Marcus observed as Hope laughed at hearing her mama’s heart.</p><p>“You sound alright, Charm. Now I see you’re avoiding taking off your top and I’m questioning why – you’re never shy to get naked.”</p><p>“Okay, don’t freak out.”</p><p>“Charm!!” Abby said, resting a hand on Hope’s head and sending her back to Marcus, as she waited on for Charmaine to take off her top and start checking her body – right side mostly common bruises and cuts, still to be disinfected but not much to worry, until she walked to the other side, and her face immediately changed as she started to probe around her skin, winning a surprised scream from Charmaine.</p><p>“Mama!!!” Hope yelled running ahead.</p><p>“Sorry. I’m okay, little one,” Charmaine whispered as Hope ran to her, with a side look at Abby.</p><p>“Definitely going to be okay, even if you should have had this checked before – didn’t you see it’s clearly infected?”</p><p>“I couldn’t stop fighting, and I thought it would go away.”</p><p>“It will not, and it will hurt a bit,” Abby said, lowering her voice. “Hope, would you like to hang out with Octavia for a bit?”</p><p>“Yes!!!” she said, excitedly missing the situation, while Marcus used the intercom in Abby’s office to reach Arkadia and ask Octavia to come to med bay, and he left Abby’s office to wait for Octavia.</p><p>“Is Bellamy okay?” she asked, running into the room. “I was just with him a few moments ago. I went to check on the horses.”</p><p>“He’s okay,” Marcus spoke. “Hope wants to spend time with you.”</p><p>“Now?” she whispered confused.</p><p>“Abby needs to do some procedure on Charm.”</p><p>“I told her to have it check it out. Is she okay?”</p><p>“Abby can handle it, but just stay around and you can see her after.”</p><p>Octavia took Hope with her, distracting her from the issue at hand, and Marcus went back to the office, catching a glimpse of a huge black bump on her side, it didn’t look good and Charmaine grimaced in pain every time Abby touched it.</p><p>“I’ll have to open it again and clean it. It will hurt as I get all the pus out,” Abby said as she took a scalpel to start opening the wound, and Marcus ran to Charmaine’s other side, he took her hand and kissed her head.</p><p>“You’re going to be okay,” he whispered. “Held as tight as you want.”</p><p>Charmaine did. She held tight and tried to keep her screams down, but it was painful, the wound was deep and it wasn’t the easiest to clean, Abby pushed but there was always more to come out.</p><p>“How much more?” Marcus asked.</p><p>“I seem to be almost done. How are you holding, Charm?” she asked, as Marcus rubbed her forehead.</p><p>“Keep going.”</p><p>Marcus held on to her, and kept Charmaine distracted, mostly about the war, Abby would want to know as well, if she was listening to anything.</p><p>“Okay, there’s only blood now,” Abby spoke. “I will just clean now – it will burn – and then a couple of stitches and I’m done.”</p><p>“Fuck, Abby,” she cursed as Abby laid on the alcohol.</p><p>“Sorry, Charm, I needed to, so it doesn’t infect again.”</p><p>“I know. Stitches now.”</p><p>The rest of the procedure didn’t take long – some stitches and then a bandage over it, before it was done, and they got to call Hope back in, Octavia ran right behind her.</p><p>“I told you to have it checked,” Octavia warned, coming to Charmaine as she was sitting down.</p><p>“I’m okay, Octavia.”</p><p>“Now, after Abby cut you open. You need to listen to me.”</p><p>“I would probably be dead if I did.”</p><p>“You would not.”</p><p>Charmaine rolled her eyes at that but smiled at Octavia none the less as she helped her put on her pants and top again as she moved to the chair.</p><p> “Please tell me you don’t have an infection either,” Abby asked as it was his turn on the table.</p><p>“I don’t.”</p><p>“He doesn’t, but check his leg. It gave him some trouble.”</p><p>“The TonDC injury?”</p><p>“Yeah, Charm took care of it.”</p><p>“One night.”</p><p>Abby nodded at that and started the check-up, starting with listening to his heart and lungs, calling Hope to listen as well, before moving to the rest of his body – slowly through his scars and bruises, and Marcus smiled at how her fingers felt on him – he had missed her touch, a bit too much, as he started to get a bit turned on.</p><p>He pushed down his thoughts, especially as Abby started admonishing him for letting his leg get that bad. He didn’t think it was too bad, nothing a few days of rest wouldn’t help, and some massage to the leg as well, as Abby was doing with some ointment as well.</p><p>“We’re doing this every morning and night, Marcus. And I don’t want you walking too much.”</p><p>“I know, Abby, I’ll be careful. And it seems I have a lot of papers and reports to get through, so you don’t need to worry.”</p><p>“Okay, good. You’re done then,” Abby said, slapping him on the leg to stand up. “Now I actually need some rest, because I have another shift in a few hours.”</p><p>“We’ll come with you,” Charmaine yelled.</p><p>“Charm, I actually need to sleep.”</p><p>“Eww, children here,” Octavia said, covering Hope’s ears, as the young girl tried to get her off.</p><p>“Just to keep you company. You know how Marcus reads in bed.”</p><p>Marcus wasn’t about to argue with that, he missed resting on an actual bed, and just being around the women he loved, so they left her office together, Octavia leaving them alone still teasing, as they made it back to their chambers.</p><p>Charmaine and Marcus undressed quickly, with him helping her get her shirts of her head, before getting a book for Hope, as they sat close together, leaving the other side for Abby, who changed into one of Marcus’ shirts and drew the blinds, before climbing onto the bed.</p><p>“You can turn on the reading light.”</p><p>“You sure?” Charmaine asked.</p><p>“Yes. I missed having you around. It’s easier to fall asleep with you here.”</p><p>“Sleep,” Marcus said, resting a hand on her head.</p><p>“We’ll be here when you wake up,” Charmaine reminded her as she paused the story.</p><p>“That’s good, because I have something important to tell you.” That sparked something in Marcus and Charmaine, and they couldn’t help but exchange a look, filled with curiosity.</p><p>“Abby!! Abby, what do you mean?” Charmaine whispered-yelled. “Marcus, wake her up.”</p><p>“Charm, she needs sleep.”</p><p>“She’s not yet asleep and she’s kidding with us.”</p><p>“I actually need to sleep.”</p><p>“Tough luck. You shouldn’t have said what you did.”</p><p>“It just came out.”</p><p>Marcus could see Abby giving in and sitting up, as she asked Hope if she could go get them another book.</p><p>“I like this one, mom,” Hope answered, looking at the one Charmaine had been reading.</p><p>“We can read both,” Marcus promised, and Hope disappeared. “So Abby?”</p><p>“Okay, so I got sick a few times while you were away.” Marcus’ heart stopped, the worst starting to cross his mind, and he took her hand immediately asking the impossible. “I’m okay, Marcus. But we did some tests, and it turns out I’m not yet menopausal.”</p><p>“Abby!!” Charmaine yelled immediately, climbing over Marcus to hug and kiss Abby, while he was still a bit confused about what was happening.</p><p>“Marcus!!” Charmaine said, looking behind her as they stopped kissing.</p><p>“What’s happening?”</p><p>“You’re so dumb sometimes,” she said with a laugh, before taking his hand, resting in on her belly and the dots started to settle.</p><p>“Abby?”</p><p>“I’m pregnant.”</p><p>“We’re having another baby? Hope is getting a sister.”</p><p>“I never said it was a girl,” Abby corrected him with a laugh. “And second, my age makes this a risk. I’ll need to be careful and keep a close eye on my pregnancy. I don’t want you to get your hopes up.”</p><p>Marcus listened intently as he rubbed her belly.</p><p>“Hope is everything,” Marcus replied to her, and Abby smiled at that, taking her own hand over his across her torso.</p><p>“You won’t feel anything yet,” Charmaine said, as she still reached out her hand to rest on top of theirs. “You’re feeling alright? Morning sickness is a bitch.”</p><p>“I remember,” Abby answered with a laugh. “Not too bad so far… I thought we could do an ultrasound tomorrow, so you can see the baby,” she promised them.</p><p>“And to see if the baby is okay?” Charmaine asked – she had already not been too young when she had Hope – she knew the dangers. “You can’t overwork yourself, Abby.”</p><p>“We’re still in the beginning, Charm, and the people need me,” she answered, looking at Marcus for confirmation, but he wasn’t sure what to say.</p><p>“I know, but still you should rest now,” Charmaine suggested, and Abby laid back down, cuddling Marcus’ leg, as another voice yelled for them.</p><p>“Mama, I can’t get the book,” Hope said, running back into the bedroom.</p><p>“Come here,” Charm said, patting the bed. “Let us finish this one first.”</p><p>Hope cuddled them between him and Charmaine as she started the story from the beginning in a low voice, as Marcus chimed in at times. His hand stayed on Abby’s hair who fell asleep on his knee, and he couldn’t be happier to be home and with his family all around him, still not truly believing that it was about to grow even more.</p>
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